Serve with us and experience the joy of sharing God’s love at Back to School Blast 2018!

The Back to School Blast is staffed by volunteers, whose gifts of time and service help achieve our mission: to serve Cleveland-area families providing the health screenings and school supplies their children need, all for free and under one roof in a fun, family environment.

We look with great expectation to how God will work, move, and shine through Blast 2018 on Saturday July 21, 2018 at the Garfield Memorial Church South Euclid Campus (1534 South Green Road, South Euclid 44121) & Saturday, July 28, 2018, from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Garfield Memorial Church Pepper Pike Campus (3650 Lander Road, Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124).

Each volunteer is asked to wear one of the following:

A New 2018 Love Ambassador T-shirt $15.00 (Sold in The Worship Center Lobbies at either location)

Or your favorite Cleveland Sports Team “We Are Better Together”

Your team leader will assist you in purchasing a t-shirt is desired prior to the event. Name tags will be provided. Due to the scope of the Back to School Blast, volunteers must be 16 years or older.

We appreciate any amount of time you are able to share, and we realize that volunteers may not be able to attend every pre-event meeting. Volunteer activities and dates include:

All-volunteer orientation: July 27, 6:30 PM Facebook Live Garfield memorial Church & Garfield Memorial Church South Euclid Page. Also will be sent out in an email (by request)

Click on the team names below to read descriptions of the teams. To sign up to serve, please click the button below. Signup is required. We’re looking forward to serving with you! Due to limited space and resources, childcare for children of volunteers is not provided at the event.

Team Descriptions

Ambassador and Welcome Team

Be one of the first faces at Garfield to greet our guests! Welcome children and their caregivers, provide assistance as they move among event stations, answer questions, and share how glad we are to have them at Garfield.

Book Fair Team

Assist in the collection and organization of new and gently used children’s books for the Back to School Blast book fair, where children can “shop” for books. Includes setup of the book fair before the event, helping children pick out books, and cleaning up the book area upon event close.

Caregiver Resources Team

Arrange for organizations that support the health, care, and growth of children, parents, and caregivers to be on site so they may provide information to our guests July 30. Includes coordinating the setup of caregiver resource tables.

Cleanup Team

Help clean the building after the event. Includes clearing all event stations and resetting the church in preparation for Sunday morning worship. Cleanup will begin upon event close at approximately 3:00 PM on Saturday and will last until all cleanup is complete.

Decorations Team

Transform the Garfield Memorial Church Pepper Pike Campus into a dressed-up event space ready to host students, their parents, and caregivers for a day of family fun! Includes the planning, setup, and cleanup of all décor for the event.

Food Team

Coordinate the collection of all snacks and beverages to be served to our guests during “recess” in the Family Life Center. Includes food setup, restocking food areas throughout the duration of the event, assisting families, and cleaning up at the conclusion of the event.

Fundraising & Donations Team

The Back to School Blast wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of individuals, families, and organizations that donate financial resources, goods, and services. Your role will be to request monetary and in-kind donations and coordinate donation deliveries.

Hair Team

Assist in the greeting area as children check in for their new-school-year haircuts, which are provided by the talented stylists who generously donate their time to make the Back to School Blast salon possible! Includes salon setup, as well as cleanup of the salon area upon event close.

Health Team

Volunteers will assist families with the completion of their physical forms, and will help answer questions. We also need providers who are licensed to see children 18 and younger to complete physicals. The providers will need assistance in the physical screenings to maintain the efficiency and flow of the healthcare area. New to Blast 2016, we will have a Healthy Bodies Table, which will be staffed by volunteers who will interact with our guests by playing games and assembling puzzles, all of which educate children about healthy bodies and how they function. When signing up to volunteer, please let us know about your healthcare background so we can make sure your talents are best utilized at the Blast!

Parking Lot Team

Welcome our guests as they arrive at the Pepper Pike Campus! Assist families by coordinating all parking at the church, directing them to the west entrance, and answering questions. Also includes directing event partners and volunteers to the appropriate parking areas.

Questions? Please visit our Contact page or FAQs. If you have signed up but circumstances arise that prevent you from volunteering, please contact your team lead as soon as possible, even if it is the morning of July 21st or 28th.